5 Foods To Cook Over Your Backyard Campfire

August 26, 2016 7:00 AM

Whether you’re heading out for a camping trip in the mountains with your family, or you’ve set up your tent in the backyard for a fun-filled night under the stars, there is one ingredient needed to really make a memorable camping experience: The campfire. Once you get your fire safely built, there are lots of fun ways to use that heat source to make some truly delicious treats. Here are some ideas to help spark your own culinary creativity over a campfire.

Orange Muffins

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Did you know that you can bake over a campfire in an orange peel? It’s true. Simply cut an orange in half, scoop out the inside (save that for juice later) and fill half with any boxed muffin mix. Then put the empty half of the orange back on the full one, wrap in three layers of tin foil and toss them in the open fire. Literally. Use a fire poker to turn the orange balls every minute or so, and leave them in for about 10 minutes or until firm. Unwrap and eat your delicious orange muffins with a spoon.

Macaroni and Cheese

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Another fun way to enjoy your campfire is with pre-made macaroni and cheese. All you need are those little tin foil pie tins that you get when you want to make individual pies. You’ll need to pre-make your favorite macaroni and cheese recipe, then portion it out into each pie tin. Cover tightly with more foil and when you’re ready for some cheesy deliciousness, simply place a grill over your fire and heat these up for about 10 minutes. You don’t want them directly in the fire though, so be sure to use a wire grill for these.

Campfire Breadsticks

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How about some tasty breadsticks to go with that macaroni and cheese? Just wrap store-bought biscuit dough around some sticks or roasting forks. Be sure to wrap them tightly so they won’t fall off. Then hold them in the fire as you and your friends sit around and tell some great ghost stories. Watch them carefully, as they can go from done to burnt very quickly.

Omelets

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Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, even when you’re camping. Make the most of your breakfast with omelets cooked over an open fire. Pre-make your favorite omelet using two eggs and any fixings or toppings you’d like in it. Pour the whole thing in a sealable plastic baggy and keep them in the cooler until you’re ready to cook. When morning hits, boil a pot of water over the fire, drop in the omelet bags and cook for about 10 to 12 minutes (or until done.) Be very careful pulling these out of the water, then slide the cooked omelet out of the bag and onto your waiting plate.

Banana Boat Dessert

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Looking for something sweet? Here’s an easy one the kids will love. Grab a banana and cut the peel lengthwise about a half-inch deep. Make sure to leave it connected at both ends, basically forming a boat. Then stuff some mini-chocolate chips and mini-marshmallows in the boat. Wrap some foil around each banana tightly and heat over an open fire for five to 10 minutes, or until everything inside is all melty and gooey. Let cool a bit (as these will be super hot) and enjoy with a spoon or even graham cracker sticks.

Deborah Flomberg is a theater professional, freelance writer and Denver native. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.